Holiday of a Lifetime
by AssortedScribbler
Summary: Eddie promised her the holiday of a lifetime. He always makes good on his promises. Reddie. Only rated M for a couple of scenes, more implied than described.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it. Never will.

**A/N:** This stemmed from a rather interesting little conversation with my dear friend, Sunshine (aka Burlesque) so thank her for the idea! It's common knowledge we were ROBBED at the finale of S4 but take Mel out of the equation, and Reddie are still together, so a little AU magic and voila! We have our favourite couple jetting off to some exotic location in the sun! The holidays are officially on. What I'm planning to do is a series of snapshots from the holiday, the "best bits" as it were. I'd appreciate any opinions, please!

**Summary:** Eddie promised her the holiday of a lifetime. He always makes good on his promises. Reddie.

For Spoons300's birthday, because she's the most incredible beta reader and has the Australian outback's worth of talent. If you're not reading her fic "Losing Track" then YOU SHOULD! *Chivvies in direction of spoonfiction* Will be updated every day until finished (that's the plan anyway) to make her birthday last as long as she deserves!

**The Holiday Of A Lifetime**

Part One: Leaving everything but them behind...

Rachel slid gratefully into her allocated plane seat, her hand-luggage safely stowed away under the seat in front of her as she leant back into the pillowed headrest, her eyes slipping closed for a few moments. She was remembering, again, why she hated airports, and baggage, and waiting areas. Then, a few grunts from the side of her interrupted her musings, and she felt a smile tip her mouth up as she tilted her head to the side of her, where Eddie was stretched upwards, sliding his bag into the overhead locker, looking as impatient to just go already as she felt. She smiled and waited for him to finish before leaning forward and watching him take his seat.

There were butterflies flitting around inside her, making her pulse jump, and it had nothing to do with nerves, and everything to do with the man sat beside her. This was it – their first holiday together. The first time they would be able to spend an entire week just with each other. Alone. No school, no distractions, just sunny days, balmy evenings and their little villa. Rachel would be lying if she said the prospect wasn't an extremely appealing one.

Eddie took his seat and stowed his book – one of the Bernard Cromwell series that she'd bought him for the trip – in the seat pocket in front before turning to her and smiling. And she couldn't help but grin back, the knowledge that this was really going to happen, they were going to have their much-needed time away lifting her mood in a completely unique way, lighting her entire expression. Leaning across, he pressed a kiss to her lips, gentle and happy, and she returned the movement, no longer feeling the pressures of anyone they knew watching them or having to keep up the facade of Rachel-the-Headmistress-and-made-of-stone-Mason. This term had been so trying, for both of them, but with that kiss, it was put behind them. This week was solely about them.

"Only a two hour flight between us and sun, sea, sand and sanctuary." He murmured against her lips, before drawing back, his expression a little blissful, and she smiled even wider, her eyes grazing gratefully over his familiar, handsome face, the features that leant her such comfort now. Flecked brown eyes that were a shade darker than her own and seemed to see into her soul on occasion. Then she leant back into her seat again, her body protesting at the awkward position. A family of what looked like three excited and fairly young children and two, rather harassed looking parents trouped by their seats and Rachel empathised as she turned to look out of the window, watching the dreary grey of the Manchester sky and the various men in fluorescent jackets darting around on the tarmac.

The next few minutes were spent quietly, waiting for the rest of the plane to board, Eddie already deep in his book and Rachel watching suitcases being loaded, enjoying the fluttering of almost childish excitement at the thought of flying – she'd only flown once before, for a school trip with a grammar school – they'd been to Germany for a few days, as part of a languages trip. Not what she'd call a holiday, but not an unpleasant experience either. She was looking forward to this time – she loved travelling, loved watching out of the window as the world flew by – but she was looking forward to arriving just as much on this occasion.

When Eddie had proposed the idea, he'd already looked into it, and had shown her the brochure – the second she'd laid eyes on the villa he'd picked, she'd known it was perfect. Private, but not isolated, with a pool and veranda, and a couple of shops about a ten minute walk away, on a little island off the coast of Spain – she couldn't think of anything that would suit them better. They would pick up the hire car at the airport, and from there, they were literally on their own for a whole week. As much as the prospect should have alarmed her – she'd never done this before, with anyone, no relationship had been serious enough – Rachel could barely stop herself from shivering with gladness.

After another ten minute wait for everyone to be seated and for the regular checks to be made, Rachel finally heard the low hum and high whine of the engines starting, and the Captain's introduction began over the speakers. She turned to Eddie, feeling her eyes gain a glint of excitement as they were told the plane was about to take off, and saw with a flicker of concern that he looked a little... tense. He was still looking at his book, but he didn't seem as engrossed as earlier. Reaching out, she brushed his arm, drawing his eyes up. She didn't need to ask – he knew she'd noticed from the way her eyes had been on him, and he looked around, smiling a little bashfully.

"It's the take off. Always makes me a bit nervous. But I'm fine." He said, and Rachel gave him a soft, understanding look in return before adjusting her back in her chair and slipping a hand out, down his arm, entwining their fingers and drawing his hand into her lap. She could feel the slight tension in his muscles as she moved him, and felt him watching her, wondering what she was doing, but she knew he trusted her enough not to question yet. Looking down at the arm she'd effectively stolen, she turned it over, and began stroking her fingers down the back of his hand, up and down the tendons, ever so lightly, but making sure he could feel it. It took a few minutes, for him to concentrate on what she was doing rather than thinking about the plane, but he relaxed into the touch soon enough, and she turned her head to look at him, smiling softly as the plane was pulled away from the gate and directed out, onto the run way.

Eddie was gazing back, his eyes full of warmth and care, and he leant across to kiss her again, a wave of emotion and meaning flowing between them. It made such a lovely change for Rachel that she could be the one to help Eddie – he always seemed to be the one lifting her up from problems, defending her to the hilt, and she loved him for it, but to be able to return the help was a welcome feeling for her. Just then, the engine noise increased and a shake went through the plane, signalling the build up to take off – but Rachel didn't care. One hand abandoned his hand for his cheek, holding him against her, exchanging a long, much needed, kiss.

It was warm, and deep, and contained so much emotion – no matter what had happened, they were still here, and they still had each other – neither could explain fully through any other way just how much that meant. She felt a larger hand glide into her hair, tucking a portion behind her ear, before stroking through the golden bob, as they leant further into each other for a little while longer. Then the slight feeling of weightless came, as the plane lost touch with the ground, and they drew back, an edge of breathlessness to their smile. Without needing a word, he pressed a gentle murmur of thanks to her forehead and leant back into his own seat, reaching for his book once more.

Rachel smiled brilliantly again and went back to her window, but their hands remained in her lap, the connection welcomed. His thumb would stroke along hers subconsciously, and she would graze her fingertips across his knuckles, the mere act of touching drawing them closer.

Part Two: It's everything she's ever wanted, and so is he...

After a few wrong turns, and a couple of curses from Eddie regarding having to drive "on the wrong side of the road", they finally did arrive at their villa. It was quite late – they'd left the UK at half seven, arrived at Mahon air port around ten o'clock local time, coupled with the drive, it was nearing midnight. Even later by their body clocks. But as the car drew to a stop, and Rachel looked up the terracotta steps to what would be their home for the next week, she knew it'd been worth it. The light was on by the front door, a gentle, yellow glow that lit up the orange colour surrounding it, the wooden green shutters were drawn over the windows, and as she opened the door to get out, the sound of cicadas greeted her.

Enchanted, and completely distracted from everything else, a light inside her, all the tiredness forgotten, she drifted up the stairs to their villa, eyes wide and looking around, the glow from a couple of streetlamps enough to appreciate the colours, but not detract from the naturalness of the scene. The sound of insects, faint buzzing and those unconquerable cicadas, filled her ears as she went to the front door and found the keys in an envelope, along with a welcome letter, tucked behind the shutter where it was supposed to be. Then a pair of strong, warm arms encircled her from behind and a familiar chin leant to rest against her little shoulder.

"Everything ok?" Eddie's lowered voice murmured into her ear, and she nodded, her breath catching.

"Perfect." She whispered back, leaning her head briefly against his, before turning around and holding out the keys. His eyes were shining in the light from the front porch lamp, and he turned her back around, directed them both over to the front door, his hands gently resting around her hips. With trembling fingers, she singled out the key and fitted it into the lock, pushing down the handle to let the door swing inwards. Inside, the same terracotta greeted them, with the end of a sofa just visible, and the edge of the kitchenette surface, while straight across from them was a sliding glass door, with a gauzy curtain drawn across. Rachel felt Eddie's arms squeeze around her a little, to share the tingle of happiness that went through both of them.

"Ours. For the whole week." Eddie said against her neck, drawing her back into his chest, and Rachel shivered in anticipation, taking in the way the moonlight was straying through the glass doors and filtering across the floor, milky and beckoning. A tremulous smile crept up over her, and she tucked her arms over Eddie's, before brushing a kiss to the side of his head.

"Come on. Let's get the bags in." She slipped from his arms, back down to the car, and he followed, both of them eager to get inside and stay there. Together, they lifted the rather large suitcase and various pieces of hand luggage – Eddie had grudgingly agreed to let her bring the laptop, on the understanding it was not under any circumstances for work, but to keep in contact with Philip – before hauling them up to the front door and depositing them by the sofa, inside. The suitcase Eddie took to the bedroom, while Rachel put the food - a packet of crisps and some chocolate - they'd saved from the plane, along with a bottle of water each, into the fridge.

Their tiredness was catching up with them now, and Rachel didn't wait for Eddie to come back down – she followed him, up the stairs – theirs was the only bedroom, and the only room on the second floor of their villa. He had already opened the suitcase and was rooting around, looking for pyjama bottoms Rachel would guess and she almost rolled her eyes as she went over and retrieved them before he could cause any more disruption to her wonderfully ordered and well-folded clothes. He gratefully took them and they both changed, eyes now barely open, clinging to consciousness as they moved around the unfamiliar room.

Too tired to contemplate searching out her wash bag, Rachel slipped her nightgown over her head, a little slip of thin material for the warm weather, and pulled back the sheet on the bed, just as Eddie laid out on the other side – still on top of the sheet. Half sighing, but half-smiling too, she got into bed and laid the sheet lightly over her, before Eddie scooted closer and scooped an arm around her waist. The sense of being home compounded, Rachel turned on her side and spooned against him, her smile only growing as he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. They had fallen asleep like this only a few times – what with Philip to think about, and time with Michael – but made it so much more special when they could just curl up together. Rachel knew Eddie enjoyed being able to hold her, and she had to admit, when he wasn't there now, she missed him.

And now they had a whole week in front of them to enjoy moments like this. They would swim, and walk, and kiss, and enjoy every single second. Because they knew how precious time was.

Rachel didn't want to close her eyes, didn't want to lose a moment of enjoying him next to her, but she was tired, having been up for eighteen hours now, and it was far too soon that the darkness crept across her mind and claimed her consciousness for the night.

Part Three: First time in paradise...

Rachel normally considered herself an early riser, but the previous day had caught up with her and both of them had slept until around midday. After the wonderful feeling of waking up to find Eddie wrapped around her, snoring lightly and adorably, his bare chest cushioning her head, Rachel hadn't wanted to move far, her finger tracing patterns across his skin as she slowly came to herself and waited for him to do the same, taking pleasure from having the time to enjoy his presence and not having one ear constantly on the rest of the house. After a while, of course, practicalities had ensued – they'd unpacked (well, Rachel had unpacked, Eddie had carried things) and then gone shopping.

Arriving back with several plastic bags, they'd dealt with those swiftly, Eddie fixing them some lunch while Rachel wandered around the villa, taking in the outside and the pool, and basking in the warmth from the sun. They'd had sandwiches and fruit, and then Eddie had noticed her glancing longingly at the pool and suggested they go for a swim, overriding her protests about having to wait half an hour, saying they'd just sit in the shallow end for a bit. Giving in to temptation, Rachel agreed but said she would clear the plates from lunch while he went and got changed. Understanding flashing in his eyes, he nodded and went to change.

Rachel piled up the plates absentmindedly, thinking of her swimming costume and the implications that came with wearing so little. She knew Eddie wasn't repulsed by her scar, had told her on several occasions that he looked on it as a badge of how brave she was, and always took special care to pepper it with kisses when it was exposed to him, the thought of him seeing it didn't bother her anymore. For the most part. But this was the first time she'd worn anything that showed it, even a little, and she couldn't deny she was a little nervous. She knew it had faded – it was just a slightly pinker patch of skin, which was a little more wrinkled than the rest, and a little more tender – and over more time, it probably would get better.

Deciding to trust Eddie as he trusted her, she left the dishes by the sink and went in search of her lover. He was standing at the top of the stairs just as she reached him, complete with ludicrously bright orange swimming trunks which ran nearly to his knees. Rachel stopped almost dead still on the step and just looked at them, a little dazzled and trying desperately not to laugh. He would see the way her lips were folding inwards, and how her hand leapt up to cover them, but she tried anyway. After she'd finished taking in the shorts – and there was a lot to take in – she raised her eyes to his and attempted to contain the glimmer of giggling glee in her caramel pools.

"Yeah, go on, laugh. I forgot these were the only pair I had, alright? They're for when I go swimming with Michael, on weekends, so he can always see me in the pool." Softening, Rachel glided up the remaining steps and trailed a hand up his lusciously bare chest, to rest on his cheek tenderly.

"I think they're brilliant. And I don't just mean the colour." She couldn't resist the tease, but her words were heartfelt – this man was so caring, of her, of his son, of Philip, she valued that side of him as much as anything. He pouted a little, but ended up smiling down at her, brushing a kiss to the hand by his mouth. Rachel sighed happily up at him, before his eyes darkened fractionally with worry and she could see him thinking about the implications of the activity they'd chosen for today. "I'm fine, Eddie. I'm just going to change. I'll see you down there." He nodded, empathy reaching out to her from deep within him, and she felt it in the lingering hold of his hand as he slipped past her to give her some space.

Taking a breath for herself, Rachel passed into their bedroom and looked around, remembering where she'd put their swimming things. She had a few to choose from – tankinis, one pieces – but she'd set her heart on wearing the soft, coral-coloured halter-neck one piece she'd bought before the fire, and it was that costume she retrieved from the drawer, not pausing to look at herself in the mirror before fetching a beach towel for both of them and heading downstairs to join Eddie. As she descended the stairs, she felt a strange sense of peace. Closure, perhaps? If so, it had been a long time coming, but she welcomed it. Rounding the bottom of the staircase, she gave the room a beaming smile.

Eddie was stood by the glass door, now slid open, rubbing sun block into the tops of his ears – Rachel couldn't help but find the sight extremely endearing. She remembered from previous discussions of his holidays to Blackpool that the only places he burnt usually were the tops of his ears and back of his neck – otherwise his skin for the most part resembled old leather. Rachel still wished she could boast of the same advantage. Her fair skin was very susceptible to the sun – but if she didn't burn for the first few days, she would go golden brown. So she wasn't taking any chances, as far as sun cream went. Not to mention the fact having Eddie rub cream into her back would be a rather enjoyable way of teasing him.

He caught sight of her, standing the doorway, and she felt his eyes sweep over her, taking in the flattering shape of the swimsuit, appreciation for it evident in the colour of his cheeks and flash of his eyes as he trailed the glittering look up her long, elegant, marble legs, skirting her little waist and dancing across her chest, before finding her eyes. She smiled, actually taking pleasure from his admiration rather than feeling embarrassed and sashayed a little as she walked over to him, the towels over one arm, her gaze locked with his. He almost gulped and she giggled a little as she came to stand in front of him. He still had the sun cream in his hand, so she turned slightly and lifted her hair out of the way, so he could apply some to her back and neck.

Instead of the cool of the cream meeting her skin, it was the heat of his mouth she first felt on her shoulders, as his hands smoothed down her arms, as if he were showering her with the compliments he knew usually made her blush, telling her just how in awe of her he really was. And she smiled breathlessly. A few more brushed kisses along her hair line, and then he applied the cream, and she quickly realised that as much as this would be winding him up, it wasn't doing much for her own composure either. The contrast of the cool, smooth cream and the slight friction from his skin was making her tingle all over and she had to take a few, steady, even breathes. She could feel him doing the same against her hair. Once he'd finished, he leant around from behind as pressed a kiss to her cheek, whispering "Done."

Rachel turned and gave him as calm and grateful a smile as she could manage, and he nodded, before turning and letting her apply the rest, slipping out of the villa and into the sun. She followed him soon after, lathered in cream and feeling almost excited. She hadn't been swimming in a long time, and the way Eddie had been looking at her had laid to rest forever the doubts about her scar – he couldn't think any less of her for it, not with such passion and want in his eyes. The object of her affections was sitting on the pool's edge, dangling his legs in and looking much more at peace than he had a few minutes ago. Rachel gave him a warm look and headed for the steps at one end, slipping slowly into the welcome cool of the water. Eddie joined her soon after, wading from his spot where he'd slipped in, to press a deep kiss to her slightly wet lips.

Grinning up at him, she flicked some water at him, and then smoothly ducked under the water, swimming as fast as she could to the other end of the pool. When she resurfaced, he'd finished spluttering and was giving her a playful glare.

"You shall be paid back for that, Mason."

"You can try, Lawson."

It was the start of a wonderful holiday.

Part Four: It's just us tonight...

Eddie had insisted that their first night here would be a night in – he had something planned. And Rachel had no reason to argue – she loved the old-fashioned romantic in him. By around seven in the evening, she'd been chivvied upstairs and told not to come back down until she was called. She read her book, showered, dressed, applied the little make up Eddie seemed to like and then hovered around the room, listening to the sounds that floated up from the kitchen, trying to discern what he was cooking from the smells, and generally allowing herself to feel as excited as she had been on their first date. It was a curious thing about Eddie – no matter how much time she spent with him, each new venture was still deliciously wonderful.

Rachel went over to the window and pushed back the shutters gently, looking out over their pool and the tree-filled wilderness that backed onto their home for the next week. There were pine trees as far as the eye could see, the ground a dusky light brown from the needles covering it, and the evening light filtering through the trees in a way Rachel considered quite perfect. The two villas either side of the were apparently occupied, there were cars on the road outside them, but Rachel had yet to see their neighbours and wasn't going to make a special effort – this week was just for her and Eddie, they didn't need to make any friends. It was so refreshing not to have to think politically about these sorts of things.

"Rachel?" Starting slightly, she found Eddie watching her from the doorway, his expression warm and gentle, probably having been there a few minutes. She turned and went over to him, the loose skirt of her dress flowing around her, drawing his eyes up and down her, feeling the heat from him pressing against her as she slipped her arms around his neck. "Dinner's ready." He said, a little proudly, and she laughed. Sometimes she wondered why she'd been blessed with this incredible man.

Taking her hand, he led her downstairs, making her pause as they got to the bottom step and covered her eyes with his hand, guiding Rachel out into the main room, while she chuckled lightly at his theatrics. Once he'd stood her in the centre of the room, he took his hand away and made a hand movement that just screamed "Tada!" If she hadn't been so taken aback by her surroundings, she may have teased him while giggling to herself. There were tiny tea lights placed on surfaces all around the room, lit and flickering in the waning sunlight streaming in from the glass door, while the scrubbed wooden table was littered with all her favourite cold dishes – pasta salad that she knew he'd put together himself, cold meats, all kinds of fruit that could be bought from the local supermarket, potato salad, a bowl of fresh lettuce, carrot, cucumber and tomato, along with her favourite dressing – everything she could have wanted.

Slightly choked up that he had gone to so much effort, on their first night, just to please her, she turned to Eddie and curled a hand around his neck, drawing him down to her and pressing a long, meaningful, thankful kiss to his lips. He seemed relieved, and wrapped his arms around her, gliding over the fabric of the dress and lingering along her mouth. She let loose a low moan, knowing he was teasing her, most likely payback for her sun cream idea earlier. Then they both eased away, looking around at the food again, before Rachel murmured in a low voice,

"It's amazing Eddie. Thank you."

They both tucked into the meal heartily, both enjoying the relatively simple meal all the more for sharing it with each other, the dusky warmth of the evening wafting around them from the open glass door, the curtain billowing a little every once in a while, as they shared low, warm glances over the table. Conversation did filter between them a little – Rachel wanted to plan out their week, make sure they got to see all the sights, while still having days just spent around the villa, enjoying the beautiful place they'd chosen. Eddie did suggest a couple of places – he knew the old capitol, Ciutadella, was most definitely worth a visit, there were some wonderful shops for Rachel to explore, the atmosphere was generally more laid back and he'd espied a rather lovely restaurant he wanted to try. Rachel couldn't think of any better reason.

The whole meal, even though it was such a simple thing for most people, carried a tingling sensation for Rachel – they had never really had this chance, just to enjoy the other's presence and chat about little things that weren't important to anyone except the other person, because they were interested in you. There was always something in the back of their minds at home – Philip, school, something – but here, Rachel found herself completely lost in the moment, enjoying the luxury of reaching out when she felt so inclined and curling her fingers around Eddie's, rubbing a thumb across the backs of them, looking up at him and smiling so widely she thought her mouth would break. For his part, his returned grin was rather goofy and enchanted as well, as he squeezed gently on her fingers, as if saying "I am so glad we're here." They had a week – and they were determined to make every moment count.

Rachel insisted on clearing up after the meal, stacking plates and bestowing him with a light, happy kiss as she made her way around the table and over to the kitchenette, hands full of crockery. She felt the fuzzy contentment of a perfect meal, not too heavy, just enough to fill the right spot, as she rinsed off plates. She heard Eddie blowing out the tea lights around the room and felt a flicker of disappointment – she rather liked the effect they leant to the room, and there was only moonlight filtering in now from the outside. But she didn't turn, intent on finishing her task, her back to the rest of the room. It meant her breath flooded into her lungs sharply as Eddie's hands alighted on her shoulders and smoothed down to her hands, guiding them to set down the plate they'd been dealing with, and drawing them behind her.

Senses in overdrive at the sudden assault of his touch and his presence at her back, Rachel complied, a smile creeping tremulously across her face as she recognised the pattern in his breathing. Their evening was far from over. He stepped forward, placing his chest flush against her back, the heat from him seeping between them, making her heart beat flicker, and he knew it. Although they'd danced this seduction quite a few times since their first kiss, even before that time, it still sent her mind spinning and she leant her head back on his shoulder, closing her eyes as she absorbed the sensations. Eddie's hands dusted up her bare arms, touches feather-light and teasing, before cupping her shoulders into him and pressing a burning kiss to the point between her shoulder and her neck.

Reaching a hand back, Rachel ran her fingers through his short, coarse hair, the feel of it dragging across her sensitised skin heightening an already intense experience. He dragged his mouth up, grazing the tendon in her neck, nuzzling behind her ear, before blowing gently into her hair, raising goosebumps right across her entire skin. Fighting her eyelids open, Rachel turned her head slightly to look at Eddie in the hovering dusk of the room, his expression filled with so many things – desire, care, intense emotion that she knew he could read in her. Turning slightly in his arms, she looked up at him, her eyes smouldering copper in the heat and dark, her skin still tingling, before she took both his hands and led him in the direction of the stairs, her expression lighting up into passion and fire.

He stepped into her and wrapped his arms around her waist, gazing down at her, saying so many things, so many eloquent compliments and metaphors for the beauty she could see he thought she was in his eyes. He didn't need to speak – she just knew. And she tucked her arms around his neck, her smile thanking him for each and every one, knowing that he understood. Leaning down, he at last captured her lips in his, the message for the evening finally clear to her – this was to make sure she understood how special he thought she was. And how lucky he was to have her – oh, how Rachel wished he knew she felt the same. And one day, on this holiday of theirs, she would show him her feelings too.

Swamped by his passionate, commanding kiss, Rachel cupped her hands around him, bringing him closer, wrapped up in the heat, the spark of sulphur in the air from the candles and the wine she tasted in him as they buried their souls in the other's embrace. Surprising her, he broke away and grinned at her, bending down slightly to scoop an arm around her legs, lifting her up in his arms. She let loose a wild, utterly wonderful giggle as she balanced herself in his hold and encircled her arms around his neck, holding him close, tracing a finger down the side of his face as they shared a grin, before Eddie manoeuvred them both to the stairs and upwards, to a night of whispered promises and loving touches, all with the spark of fire that had always been part of them, and the love both of them knew they felt.

Part Five: One Spanish summer's day...

Rachel brushed back her hair, looking in the mirror of the restaurant's WC as she slid her sunglasses back over her head, using them like a hair-band to keep the copper weight out of her face. They'd just finished lunch, at the lovely cafe her partner had chosen for them in advance – he'd chosen well. The beer was apparently to Eddie's taste and she'd enjoyed her meal very much, sitting outside in older part of the town, basking in the sun and the lowered bustle of people passing around them. They'd done quite a bit of exploring so far this morning, taking in the town and enjoying the muted atmosphere of activity – unless you ventured towards the main town centre, there were no cars, and the lack of noise was such a pleasant change. Rachel hadn't been able to take her eyes off the beautiful architecture or the enticing shops they'd passed. Now the afternoon was time to enter a few of them, do a little souvenir shopping for Phil and Kim, and wrap herself back in the wonderful cocoon of just being with Eddie.

Satisfied with her appearance, Rachel left the little room and stepped back out into the sun, looking around for where Eddie had chosen to wait after paying for their meal. In the height of the sun, and at the edge of a busy street for shoppers, it took her a moment – then she found him. Smiling, the happiness curling in her stomach at just the sight of him, Rachel watched Eddie hitch his rucksack (which was really only for the map, camera, bottles of water, wallet and keys, but he refused to let Rachel have control over the camera, otherwise, as he had protested earlier, he'd never be allowed to take any pictures of her) a little higher on his shoulder, leaning sideways on the edge of a building on the opposite side of the street, eyes scanning the crowd, his t-shirt making obvious the strong arms she was so familiar with. She suspected he was already starting to go a little brown.

Weaving her way towards him, she let herself appreciate the moment – he was waiting for her, as he always had, a small smile hitching his mouth up and quite obviously happy – she hoped he knew she felt the same. His attention had shifted to his rucksack again, retrieving a drink probably, so Rachel approached unseen and made her way to his side without being noticed. Ducking to the side of him and walking a foot or two, she turned and watched him put the water away, going back to watching the crowd. Something about this man always seemed to call on her playful nature, and she always gave in, knowing it usually made him smile. Carefully, she snuck up behind him and waited for his hand to be free before slipping hers into it and stepped up to his shoulder, giggling at the way he jumped at her touch and before throwing her a playful dark look and squeezing her fingers.

"Sneaky woman." He growled, turning to her, and she grinned innocently back. Shaking his head, that smile that was for her creeping across his mouth, he gave her a look before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her lips. She smiled under him and returned the movement, her eyes shining under the eyelids he'd coaxed down. As he drew back, his gaze flicked down the street, before looking down at her, and she grinned. "Where do you want to start?" He asked.

"Down there," she pointed to the start of the shops, near the end of the street, "I saw a t-shirt I think Phil might like." Eddie nodded, letting her lead the way, knowing she had a much better memory for things like that. They kept the other's hand in theirs as they joined the flow of people, moving down the sunny street, feeling the sun bathe their faces in warmth, their shoulders rubbing together occasionally and drawing their eyes into the others, sharing their smile. Rachel guided them to the shop she'd mentioned, many different t-shirts, adorned with geckos (which were a trademark of the island) and Mediterranean designs, in mostly dusky blues and greens. Together, they moved around the stands, looking at the clothing, before entering the cool of the shop itself.

Rachel wanted to get Philip something unusual, but not something that he would never wear, and Eddie was keeping an eye out for something he could get too – but the trouble was, the boy wasn't the easiest person to buy for. In a way, Rachel missed her nephew – she knew he was a challenge, but she loved him as family and hoped sometimes he felt the same. She was going to ring him tonight, probably through the computer otherwise it would cost a fortune, check to see how he was doing (and hope her house was still standing). Up until now, she hadn't worried for him – she knew he was capable of looking after himself – he'd done it before, he'd told her – but Rachel couldn't help feeling a little guilty that he was on his own.

As if Eddie sensed where her thoughts had turned, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, smiling gently down at her as her eyes swept up to his.

"Philip will be fine, you know." He said, and Rachel ducked her head, warmed and a little unnerved that Eddie knew exactly what she'd been thinking.

"I know. I just... after everything he's been though..." Rachel smiled weakly, the thought of school seeming very distant just then, but concern for her nephew still very present.

"We'll handle that when we get back. I promise, Rach, Philip will be the top priority. But for now, that's us." She nodded, looking up again and giving him a warm smile, knowing he was right. They had the summer to spend time with Philip, to help him and get to know him a little better. But at this moment, now, they were on holiday, a whole precious week to be with each other. And Rachel was determined to enjoy every moment. Eddie brushed a kiss to her temple, her concerns receding back again with the touch, and she smiled again, her eyes lifting – and spotting the perfect t-shirt. Her expression lighting up, she tugged Eddie towards it and showed him. There were dotted gecko footprints scrawled all over the front, in little criss-cross shapes, ending with a little outline of a gecko on the back, near the shoulder. It would suit Philip brilliantly.

Eddie agreed and after a few minutes debating the right size, Rachel headed for the till, euros in hand, while Eddie slipped outside with the camera to take some photos. Folding the t-shirt so it would fit in her shoulder bag, Rachel contemplated which shop to head for next, thinking of a rather gorgeous, expansive shoe shop that was just a little further up the road, when she remembered the silver shop her heart had leapt to when they'd walked down this street the first time. It may be the perfect place to get something for Kim, and Rachel knew there would be a few things to catch her eye, the designs were exactly her choice.

Leaving the shop, she swept her eyes around, looking for her partner, before the hairs on the back of her neck prickled – someone was watching her. Stepping out into the sun, where she had a clearer view, she turned her head sharply, trying to get a view of Eddie, only to hear the snap of a camera and find him a few feet away, camera held triumphantly in her direction. She threw him a light glare, knowing he was aware how much she hated it when he did that, but he only chuckled and approached, putting the camera back in its case. Rachel lightly bumped into him, another displeased expression passing from her to him. He pouted a little and stole her hand again, moving them away from the shop.

"Rachel, whether you like it or not, I am going to take pictures of you. You look absolutely gorgeous, and in ten years time, we will want to show people pictures of our first holiday and I will want to show people show beautiful you are." Flushing from the bottom of her neck to the top of her cheek, Rachel tried to ignore him, fighting how touched she was by the thought that he imagined they would still be together in ten years time, until he drew her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it lightly. Feeling herself give in, she turned and gave him as exasperated look, which he only grinned at. "Where are we going next?" He asked, and she almost shook her head before gesturing towards the jewellery shop ahead of them.

They spent at least twenty minutes in there, eventually picking out a long necklace with an amber stone in for Kim, before Rachel spotted the most beautiful ring. It was pure silver, with a middle sized band, with flared out at the top into branches of a delicate plant, tiny flowers curling around the top of the piece, subtle and complicated, but utterly stunning. Eddie noticed her staring at it, and urged her to try it on, which she did. Eddie told her it looked beautiful on her, and Rachel had to admit, part of her had already decided she wanted the gorgeous piece of jewellery. Then she'd seen the price. Of course, being pure silver, it was going to be expensive, but as much as she adored it, she wasn't sure. She said she'd think about it, and they left, wandering further along the street and stopping for ice cream to satisfy Eddie's never-quite-full stomach, although Rachel had to admit the range of flavours tempted her into having a scoop of lemon sorbet.

They'd found a bench and after tasting each others, had settled against each other to finish off the iced treat, glad of a little shade and the close proximity. Rachel couldn't quite shake the thought of that ring – it had been the most gorgeous thing she'd seen all day, but she tried not to let her distraction show and took full advantage of Eddie tasting like the mint ice cream he'd just scoffed as they finished their dessert. After sharing a long, teasing kiss, Eddie ducked off to the loo and Rachel wandered around a trinket shop, full of very tourist-ish items and bought a beaded bracelet she thought would suit Kim. She also found a t-shirt for Eddie that she would surprise him with later.


	2. Chapter 2

Part Six: For longer than forever...

Rachel stepped, relieved and content, out of her cool shower and wrapped a towel around her, her mind thinking over the latter half of their wonderful day. Eventually, she'd admitted to giving in to temptation and went back for ring – but it had already been sold, and much as she'd tried to hide it, she'd been bitterly disappointed. Eddie had distracted her with a walk around the older part of the city, knowing that the unusual and brilliant designs of the buildings would take her mind off it, and they'd gotten a little lost along the way, stumbling over some quaint little shops hidden in forgotten side streets and they'd ended up having a lot of fun, with much teasing of Eddie's map reading skills and laughing when they came up against dead ends they'd not been expecting.

It did mean they'd left a lot later then they'd imagined and were now feeling the effects of an entire day spent on their feet – Rachel had been very grateful to take her sandals off, and Eddie had been a little concerned for the back of his neck, having been in a lot of sun all day. But as Rachel rubbed a towel through her hair which was already drying slightly in the warm air, she could feel herself smiling at the entire day and knew it would be one she remembered. Eddie had offered her the shower, knowing she would be grateful for both a chance to cool down and clear away the effects of a day in the heat, and she'd pressed a kiss to his mouth before agreeing. Their bathroom was downstairs, so she'd gathered up towels and slipped inside, taking a while to just enjoy the feeling.

Holding her make-shift toga around her, Rachel stepped out into the main room, hearing the light movement of water and guessing Eddie had gone for a swim. A quick glance towards the sliding door confirmed this, and Rachel saw the opportunity to set out her surprise. Darting past, she headed for the stairs, intending to hide the t-shirt in his clothes drawer for him to find when he changed. But upon reaching their bedroom, she found a sight that made her freeze. Sitting as innocently as could be on her pillow was a little velvet box, with a note tucked underneath. Her heart stilled for a moment, hand on her mouth, eyes very wide, before Rachel advanced cautiously into the room, unable to take her eyes off the gift waiting for her.

Shakily, she sat on her side of the bed and hesitatingly reached out a hand to slide the note from under the box. It was a simple piece of plain paper, folded in half, and Rachel had to force herself to take a breath before flattening out the fold and reading the message he'd left for her.

"I know what you're thinking. And I'm not proposing – I wouldn't rush you like that. And we've got so much to do before I ask that question. But this is a promise from me that no matter what happens when we leave here, I'm not going anywhere. I care about you so much Rachel, and what we have is so precious. I know there's a lot of ground to cover – both with Philip and at school, and with us – but nothing is going to change how I feel about you, nothing is keeping us apart from now on. I promise that this is us, now. For as long as you'll have me."

Gasping, Rachel fought the tears gathering along her bottom eyelid, her hand pressing against her chest to try and keep her breathing even. Unable to quite yet comprehend how incredible the words were, her eyes flickered to the box, having already guessed what was inside. Shaking fingers picked it up, and gently lifted back the lid. There inside lay her ring, perfect and shining, and she choked on her own rising joy, trying to find a way to express the feeling that her heart was trying to escape her chest. Standing, she walked like a woman dazed down the stairs and out to the pool, where Eddie was drying off. He caught sight of her walking out to him and his expression became weighted down with nerves as his gaze swept upwards, to her face.

She smiled brilliantly at him, her eyes sparkling with tears, her shoulders shaking with the effort of holding in the emotion she felt as she grasped the box in one hand and his note in the other, and he went to her immediately, wrapping both arms around her, kissing her hair and she buried her face his bare shoulder, her hands resting at the base of his back where a few droplets from the pool still clung to his skin.

Part Seven: Where the sky and water meet...

Rachel chuckled to herself as Eddie opened the fridge to pour them both another glass of wine, while she slid open the glass doors and stepped out into their back garden of sorts, bathed in Mediterranean moonlight, the pale light reflecting beautifully on the still, blue mirror that was their pool, while the terracotta tiles beneath her feet still breathed out a little heat from the day that had now passed. It was close to midnight, they'd only just returned from their first night out – a proper evening meal, at a secluded restaurant about twenty minutes away. Their waiter had been a cheerful little man with a curly black moustache and a ready smile, and Rachel couldn't have imagined a better meal. She'd had white bait – a particular favourite of hers, and it had been cooked perfectly.

Throughout the meal, Eddie had maintained almost constant physical contact – whether holding her hand, or a foot just gently resting on hers. She knew it was part of him reassuring her that he'd put his heart into the note from earlier, and she found her own affection for him swelling unreservedly, but it had been curling a tense wire inside Rachel for most of the evening as well. Much as she cared for her partner, she also needed him in far many more ways and this week she didn't need to monitor or quash those inclinations. So she had dreamed up a rather mischievous plan to return the favour. Standing out, by the pool, she let the warm night air wash around her, soothing her, finding the confidence in herself and her strength as a woman rising, like an old friend that she'd lost touch with but had now remembered.

"Here you go." Eddie said, smiling, as he appeared at her side, holding out a glass of white wine. Making sure to brush her fingers along his as she took the lute from him, she smiled her thanks and folded an arm over her stomach as she rested the glass against her lips, eyes once more turning to the pool and enjoying the way he stepped into her side, slipping an arm around her, the touch of their bodies sparking determination and need inside her. She took a sip of her cool drink, admiring the flicker and shine of light on the water, a fingertip gliding up and down the glass, and she could feel her own eyes darkening at the thought of what she intended. "What are you thinking?" He murmured, inclining his head forward and looking around, trying to catch a glimpse of her expression.

She swayed her head around to greet his gaze, eyes flashing in the light from the villa behind them, melting caramel, as she smiled in a way that she knew would make his heartbeat flicker.

"Midnight swim." The two softly spoken words were enough to make his chocolate orbs swell to twice their normal size, but she didn't give him chance to speak. Instead, she pressed her glass into his hand and brushed past him, making no move to invite him to follow, knowing she didn't need to - he wouldn't be far behind. Drawing her confidence around her, she slipped inside the door and made for the stairs, her smile desperately trying to stay as innocent as she wished it to be. She heard a faint splutter from outside, and had to take a deep breath to contain her giggle, hurrying up to their bedroom and swapping her elegant, light evening dress for swimming costume – two piece, this time, with matching sarong, all dark blues and greens that she knew made the most of all her assets. She hadn't thought she'd ever wear it again, after the fire. But now... now she could. It was all thanks to him – and she intended to tell him so.

Descending, she found Eddie at the bottom of the stairs and she couldn't stop the flush of pride as his eyes ran up her figure as she came into view, full of want and desire, the look from him almost physically drawing her to him. But she resisting – she wanted the fun of teasing him until he had no more choice, she wanted to see him writhe, and then give him everything he so rightfully deserved. Because, as he'd shown her on quite a few occasions, there was nothing so sweet as pleasure that had been withheld for far too long. Dancing past him, just out of reach, she smiled back and continued back outside, knowing that he was about to pound up those stairs and change too.

Loosening the light cloth of her sarong from around her, she laid the material gently over a chair and moved softly to the edge of the pool, to the steps at the shallow end. Looking along the length of the still lagoon, it seemed a shame to disturb such effortless peace, but there was something magical about watching the first ripples echo out from where her toes first touched the edge of the water, the enveloping cool of the liquid spreading along her skin, as she stepped in. She watched the moonlight fracture on the reflective surface as her movement shifted the waves, before becoming aware of a pair of dark brown eyes regarding her from the door. Lifting her head, she gave him a smile that lit both of them up, the tension of her body and his forgotten for a moment as the stillness and peace of the night air swamped their senses.

Then she took another step into the water, the slosh of the pool around her long, porcelain legs making him stiffen and she could feel it, could see the way his hands fisted with the effort of not rushing forward out of the corner of her eye. Her fingertips spread out from her, glancing over the surface of the water, the cool tickling her skin as she sank further into its embrace, making her shiver slightly before she adjusted. Another step, and another, and she was submerged to just above her hips, and she took a shivering breath of anticipation before sinking completely under and pushing out with her legs against the step behind her, gliding through the water with an ease she remembered and adored. There was no feeling like this – no freedom comparable to the water streaming through her hair and rippling over her body, smoothing out her every move.

Within a few seconds, she'd reached the other end of the pool and breached the surface, sweeping her wet hair back from her face and wiping the water away from her eyes, thankful she'd not put any eye makeup on for their evening out. Resting a hand on the stone side of the pool, Rachel looked around for Eddie and had to hold back a small smirk at him now slipping into the pool as well, and even the haze of darkness that the night afforded could not disguise the fact his eyes were focussed completely and irrevocably on her. And an enticing flicker went through her at the depth of his gaze and purpose of his movements.

With slow deliberate footsteps, he moved down into the pool and across it, towards her. She fought to keep down an excited smile, anticipation humming within her, knowing his control and ability to take any more of her teasing had snapped the minute her body had been submerged. He was only a few feet away now, and despite the evening starting with her determined to stretch him, she found herself wound just as tightly, the need to move toward him battling her mind's stubbornness. Tall enough so he could stand in the deepest part of the pool without a problem, he reached the flat portion of her end and continued for her, his bare chest calling to her, the shining drops of water on his shoulders catching her eyes.

Taking as deep as breath as she could, Rachel met those smouldering eyes she knew and loved so well, the need she'd seen earlier flashing out towards her in the reflection of moonlight from the pool's surface. Oh, Eddie Lawson needed her – and Rachel Mason needed him. There was barely a foot between them now, his gaze caressing her face across the distance, flickering over her arms, up her neck, and something in the pit of Rachel's stomach snapped. Pushing off from the wall, she glided into his arms, her moist fingers sliding into his hair, while his hands fixed around her little waist, bringing her close to him, pressing their bodies together and despite the cool of their surroundings, they felt very warm.

Her lips were wet from the pool, tasting of chlorine and faint traces of her lipstick, and she could still taste the wine in him as they welcomed the other's mouth closer and wrapped their limbs around the other's body. The heat from his body, still not quite adjusted to the ambient temperature, made Rachel cling to him, feeling a hand drag across the exposed skin of her waist and back, tracing over curves he knew so well, curves he'd told her many times he'd never change, before hitching her close to him and she slipped her hand down his back, tracing the muscles below his shoulder blade and the line of his spine, the feel of him so close making her clench.

There, under the muted light of the moon, and witnessed only by the accepting and beautiful nature that surrounded their happiness, they lost themselves completely in each other. The steady swell and fall of the water matched their movements as they gave everything they had to the one person they ever shared this connection with. Swirling eddies of passion and heat were breathed and bubbled into the surroundings. Hands and mouths explored heatedly, battling the encompassing hold of the water for possession over their lover's skin, the sound of lapping against stone accompanying the panting and gasping of breath as they teased and gave, enjoyed and pleasured.

Much later, breathless and stumbling, they made their way from the outside paradise to indoor sanctuary, and collapsed together on the sofa, uncaring of anything except keeping the other close, and it did not take long for them to fall into unconscious, into dreams, completely sated and desperately blissful.

Part Eight: You lift me on top of the world...

"Well, I can't say I'm looking forward to the drive back down." Rachel giggled lightly as Eddie drew into a parking space at the top of Monte Toro. It was the highest point on the island, and the road leading up to the little car park was rather... difficult to negotiate, Rachel completed the phrase in her mind delicately, trying not to exasperate Eddie with anymore chuckling over his continual white knuckles and mumbled swear words at the steep climb and sharp turns. Swinging herself out of the car, Rachel looked around the car park, taking in the picnic benches under the shade of twisted, gnarled-looking olive trees, the ground covered with a dusting of brown leaves and dusty sand, while beyond, between the trees, she caught site of the most breath-taking view imaginable.

Excitement threading from the back of her mind into her nervous system and so into her veins, she looked over the car towards Eddie and gave him a dazzling smile, already glad they'd come. He grinned, probably because he had suggested they come here, and went around to the boot of the car to collect his ever-faithful rucksack. Rachel slipped her little white shoulder bag over her head, around her shoulder, before looking behind her. Above them, the towering building which Rachel remembered housed a nunnery collected the sunlight, along with a high white wall and a gate that led into a courtyard. While the view she'd seen earlier called to her, she wanted to explore first.

Eddie shut the boot, and she moved to walk beside him, dodging across the road as they made their way to the imposing gateway and the enclosed, beautifully quiet and serene space beyond. There were green, leafy plants in tubs stood around, by the ways, a crumbling tower to their left that was the nunnery, the shutters over the windows closed tight, while ahead of them, the door to the church stood open, thick, dark wood with scrolling patterns on. Rachel heard the sounds of people, families, and caught sight of a restaurant in the building to her right, the smell of hot dogs and coffee wafting out to her. It was as if she'd stepped into a wonderful dream.

Together, tucked into each other's sides, they wandered slowly through the courtyard, Rachel trailing her hands over the aging brickwork and interwoven plant life that grew within the walls so it seemed, while Eddie tipped his head back and looked up at the spire of the church, at the buildings around them. There was a hushed quiet about the place that felt almost like a library, a quiet both remembered from days when they'd attended church as children. The effect was tempered by the sounds from the cafe, but it settled over them both nonetheless. Hesitating, they made their roundabout way to the church's doors, Rachel in particular hesitating as they reached the doors. With all the things she'd seen and done in her life, church was usually the last place she felt comfortable, but Eddie slid a hand into hers and drew it up to his, pressing a reassuring kiss to the back before drawing her inside.

It was much darker in there, and they both pushed their sunglasses upwards on their heads, eyes adjusting to the seeming gloom after the bright midday sun from outside. Once they could see, they both felt their eyes widen – it was impressive. Gold leaf and candles and dark wood pews filled their vision, and Rachel was glad she'd chosen to wear a modest sundress today. There was a stone basin by the door, filled with water, and murals on the walls. Rachel felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end, and pressed a little closer to Eddie without realising it. There were a few other people in the chapel – two were praying, sat in the pews, heads bowed, while a family with one little girl who looked as intimidated as Rachel felt, wandered around the edges, looking at the carvings. She felt Eddie look down at her, but she refused to look around, pretending to still be taking in the room.

Gripping her hand a little tighter, he led her gently and without a word, back out into the sunshine, and she felt like she could breathe again. Standing at the edge of the courtyard, he paused and brought her to stand in front of him, letting the sun warm one side of her as she rested her eyes on his t-shirt, a hand rising to be laid gently over his heart. He didn't need to ask – he knew there were many reasons why the place had affected her, so instead of trying to understand any further, he leant forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She smiled in response and finally tipped her head up, thanking him with a look for being him, and being hers.

Then she caught site of a little door behind him, by the side of which there was a stand of post cards, and she nodded towards it. They went and browsed for a little while, picking out a few pictures that Rachel had an idea about framing when they got home, and slowly, she shook of the unease, gaining her carefree shake of her hair and full, beautiful smile back. The little nun, an older woman who reminded Rachel inescapably of the dancing nun she'd been sat next to at the choir competition, had been a little surly but polite when they'd bought their purchase, and Rachel tried not to giggle at the thought of this woman jigging like her friend had.

Eventually, they'd wandered back outside of the buildings and around to sort of balcony around the outside of the hill which gave the visitors a chance to take in the practically panoramic view from the hillside. Rachel completely lost herself in the beauty of what they could see – the whole island was almost visible from here, and she and Eddie had a little fun guessing which gatherings of white buildings were which town as they wandered along the path, gazing avidly out over fields of velvety green, and dusty roads, and lines of olive trees that criss-crossed over the entire land. It was too beautiful to describe, and finally, Rachel found some peace that was not in Eddie's arms, leaning against the railing along the edge, simply looking and listening.

After fifteen minutes or so, Eddie remembered the camera and nipped back to the car to fetch it, having left it there because it was considered disrespectful to take pictures inside the chapel. Rachel wandered further around the hill top, the cement and metal railing fading to gravel and wood, which felt more natural and she leant both forearms on the fence, looking out over the south west of the island, where she guessed their villa was. A faint, summer breeze just lifted the tips of her hair, tickling her cheeks as the sun warmed the tip of her nose. For a moment, just one moment, she wished she and Eddie could stay here forever.

She wasn't aware of Eddie, a few feet away, unable to move or breathe for how beautiful she looked. He'd never seen her so uninhibited – she was smiling so gently, uncaring about anyone around her, the white loose shape of her dress somehow making her figure even more enticing than usual while as the same time not being clingy, and if he wasn't very much mistaken, her legs were starting to gain a golden colour. Closing her eyes, Rachel tipped her head upwards, looking into the sun, welcoming the warmth, glowing. And in that second, Eddie took a photo of a memory he would treasure for the rest of his life. Rachel Mason in all her wonderful glory. Happy. In love. Care free. The most incredible woman he had ever known.

For a moment, Eddie let his imagination run away with him, into a future he now thought about quite often and wished for more than he'd thought was possible. The photo so safely stored on his camera now would be kept in Rachel's – eventually their – house for many happy years. And he would take it down off the shelf to show their children, and if the forces of good permitted, grandchildren, how Rachel had always been and always would be the woman they loved more than any other.

Sensing someone close by, Rachel turned her attention from the view to closer to hand, opening her eyes and beaming at Eddie after he'd quickly made sure the camera was out of sight. He went over to her and slipped two arms around her waist, fitting them together in that perfect way they had, the way he knew Rachel took so much comfort from, as she leant back into him, her forehead against his neck, her eyes slipped closed again.

"Have I ever told you how lucky I am to have you?" She murmured, and she knew he felt the sound of her voice move through her into him, and felt the swell of happiness from him at her words.

"You'll always have me." He muttered into her hair, laying his cheek on her head.

"Ditto." She whispered back, entwining their fingers together across her waist, their gazes sweeping up to the magnificent view before them and finding there wasn't anything in the world that could have made this moment any more beautiful.

Part Nine: Absence makes the heart grow fonder...

Rachel muttered under her breath for a few moments as the laptop slowly logged into "skype" and loaded up her account. They'd set it up outside on the patio table, using a mobile broadband plug-in USB, which Eddie had gotten adorably confused with. She was trying not to contemplate how large her mobile bill was going to be for this month, having texted Philip virtually every day, a fact she had tried to keep Eddie innocent of since she knew exactly what he would say. Rachel knew she was being over-protective, that was her job, she was his legal guardian, she didn't need Eddie to tease her about it. Her nephew had come up with this solution to prove he was alive and well, and (she knew) try to allay her worries and stop her texting him quite so much. Philip's name appeared on the side of her screen and she clicked quickly, drawing up the video call and smiling a little nervously.

"Hello you two skivers. How's the er, how's tan going?" Was the rather insolent greeting her nephew chose, incredibly up-beat when she considered the moody teen she'd seen so much of this year at school, and if she hadn't decided to play the offended guardian, she would have smiled. By the way her nephew had spoken rather quickly, Rachel would have put a sizable bet on that being a Bolton line, given to Phil as a peace offering maybe. She hoped so. Perhaps time off was what he needed, time to really make friends. She heard Eddie chuckle as he bent down to lean on the chair behind her, his chin hovering over her right shoulder. Ignoring the tingle from him being so close, which still remained even now, she threw her nephew a playful glare, something she hadn't known she could do.

"Never mind us, is my poor house still standing after being subjected to you for nearly a week?" She returned, her eyes darting over Phil's shoulder to check what little she could see of her living room.

"Yep, Rach, the house is fine. One minor accident with the toaster, but Donte managed to fix -" His eyes skittered over the keyboard, as if nervous, but he didn't get any further.

"What?" Her voice, she would admit, gained at least an octave in pitch, before she recognised the beginning of a twitch around her nephew's mouth. And she would have batted his arm sharply if she'd been in range. "That's not funny Philip." She said darkly, finding what she could see of his eyes on the tiny screen and looking threateningly at them. At least, she hoped that what it looked like, webcam was a somewhat new territory for her.

Rachel also concealed a smile, glad of how his confidence seemed to have grown just a little bit. The end of term had helped, she thought, after Flick was exposed as cheating, Matt had asked Phil back, finally understanding what the chocolate brownie incident had been all about, and had apologised. Rachel had heard the students weren't happy to begin with, and she couldn't blame them – the whole day had been a messy disaster from start to finish and she hated remembering it - but that's what made Waterloo Road such an amazing school. They drew together when they needed to, despite everything. Then the choir had been such a massive success, she had hope that the differences were going to be forgotten, and Philip would finally make and cement some good friendships.

"Don't be cheeky lad." Came a voice over her shoulder, but the tone completely belied the admonishment – Eddie was hiding a smirk as well. Him she could hit, and she did so, flicking around in her seat and batting her palm lightly across the back of his head. Eddie gave her a deeply mournful look and rubbed his head in a mock-puppy-dog way.

"Erm... guys? No love-y dove-y stuff on the webcam, please!" Philip's slightly electronic voice filtered through the laptop speaker, sounding vaguely traumatised, and they both returned their attention to the teenager.

"You call that 'love-y dove-y'?" Eddie asked incredulously, turning his eyes towards where his supposed injury should be as he continued rubbing his head. Rachel rolled her eyes and gave Phil a look as if to say "He's such a baby."

"You practically lived with us for the second half of this term Eddie. I know what counts as flirting for you two." His voice said slightly disturbed and a little disgusted, but his mouth was twitching again and Rachel let the comment pass, her thoughts turning to the ground they would need to cover when she and Eddie returned.

"Yes, a whack around the head constitutes goo-goo eyes – don't know why I put up with her." Eddie affected a long suffering tone, to which Rachel arched a delicate eyebrow and turned her head slightly, catching Eddie's amused gaze.

"I think there's an argument to be made about who puts up with whom in this relationship," she began, Eddie rising beautifully and indignantly to the bait before she cut him off gently, "but not right now." She shifted her head back and looked seriously at Philip. "Honestly, Phil, is everything ok? Is there still plenty of food? Did you go around to Candice and Bolton one night?" Even as she spoke, she knew she was going a little overboard with questions, but it didn't take long for the inevitable interruption to come.

"Really, Rachel, everything is fine. I'm eating, I'm playing football, Candice had me sleep around for two nights. You don't need to worry." Rachel nodded, a nervous smile finally making its way across her expression. "And no one has been around to the house, honestly. I know you didn't want anyone poking about. I know how to look after myself, Rachel." Philip added that very seriously, and Rachel knew he was thinking about his past, times that his mother had disappeared before, like now, and he'd not had someone to check in on him. And Rachel wished she'd been there. A warm hand slid over her left shoulder, and she felt Eddie shift closer to her.

"How's the football going Phil?" Her lover asked and Rachel zoned out slightly as they discussed words like "tackle" and "position" and "technique". She appreciated Eddie giving her chance to just study her nephew for a minute, take in what he looked like, how he seemed. Honestly, and gladly, Rachel realised he looked more relaxed than she'd seen him since joining Waterloo Road. He was smiling a little bit more, and didn't constantly dart his eyes around, worried about meeting someone else's gaze and getting in trouble for something he didn't understand. And Rachel smiled widely, taking in the t-shirt Philip was wearing, wondering if they really had a chance to make this strange family work. For the first time in a long time, she had hope. A lot of it.

"So what's the weather like over there?" She heard being asked and Eddie shrugged, not equipped to answer it as all the weather reports were in Celsius and he was rubbish at converting.

"It's gorgeous, Philip. It's hot, it's dry, but it's not too extreme – and the pool's really good for cooling off too." She felt Eddie's thumb smooth over her bare shoulder at that remark, a flash of a time that had most definitely not been cold breaking across her mind's eye, but she wouldn't let herself get distracted.

"It's been alright here too, bit cloudy, but ok. Candice was so jealous when I told her where you'd gone – she said she'd do anything for a week in the sun." Rachel nodded, laughing, already knowing just how lucky she was that Eddie had arranged the perfect trip for them both. "What time do you get back on Sunday?" Phil asked, and Rachel quickly stopped her expression dropping at the thought of jetting back to Manchester, and clouds, and responsibilities. But then, she loved her job. And she couldn't give it up forever, not even when forever was here, in her version of paradise.

"We'll be back at the house around nine p.m. As long as the flight isn't delayed." Rachel told him, shoving away the thought of the airport, and the uncomfortable chairs, and bad coffee.

"Alright, do you want anything to eat when you get back? I could... well, I could cook, if you like?" Philip offered, very very shyly, his ears going red, the awkwardness that was part of him, and might never truly leave making him stutter his words slightly. Rachel could have hugged him. Eddie gave her shoulder an unnoticeable squeeze so her nephew wouldn't see and leant in.

"I think we'll be a bit knackered, if I'm honest lad, but we definitely wouldn't turn it down on Monday." The teen's expression had slumped a little, in a way that reminded her of the grump she'd opened her house to all those weeks ago, but brightened a bit more when Eddie finished.

"Monday is it. Omlettes are ok, yeah?" Rachel beamed and nodded. "Right, see you Sunday."

"We better had." Eddie said, a low grumble in his voice that was both joking and a little stern at the same time. Philip nodded, the promise not voiced but Rachel realised she didn't really need to hear it. She was about to wave and close the connection when her nephew paused and gave them both what she thought, from the screen, was a considering look, before he said, slowly and rather unsurely,

"You both look really happy." Individually, Rachel and Eddie both looked at each other, and then back at Phil, their smile growing without them even noticing. He shook his head, smiling too, and ended the call.

Part Ten: Where dreams have no end...

"Rach?" Rachel looked around from where she'd been sat out on the veranda, gazing up at the stars. She'd been out there for about half an hour, not needing anything more than the small nightdress she had on in the Mediterranean heat, just looking and thinking. She was perched on the edge, where the tiles became grass, enjoying the lingering heat from the terracotta and running her hand over the green leaves, which looked like fur in the dark. Eddie ducked out of their villa and went to her, rubbing sleep from his face. "What's wrong?" He asked as he bundled himself down beside her and slipped an arm around her, drawing her small form into his chest. Smiling, Rachel brushed a kiss to his neck before leaning her head back against his shoulder, so she could look up again.

"Couldn't sleep." She murmured softly, her mouth carrying more than a hint of a gentle smile he recognised, and Eddie admired the sparkle in her eyes as he looked down at her.

"Worrying about Philip?" He asked in a low voice, loath to disturb the peacefulness of the scene.

"No, actually. Just... couldn't." Her smile grew a little more as she spoke, and Eddie knew from just the little movement that her restlessness wasn't due to any discomfort. He brushed a kiss to her temple and looked up as well, letting her take her time over answering the obvious question. For a few minutes, they just sat together, enjoying the quiet and the closeness, and the faint brush of the warm breeze floating by them. "Everything has been so perfect here. The colours, the flowers, the buildings, the people, everywhere we've been. And it's not just the place either – being together, with no distractions, no catastrophes, nothing getting in the way – I love Philip, I do, and the school, and everything but – it's going to be so difficult to leave. It's been perfect for us here."

"I know. That's what holidays are supposed to feel like, Rach. You're not supposed to want to go back. I have loved spending so much time with you, having you all to myself. I love being able to kiss you whenever I want, and smile because you're smiling." She couldn't help it and did smile just then, nodding against his shoulder, a hand slipping over his and entwining their fingers together, telling him without words she felt exactly the same. A few more moment passed, just breathing and happiness circling, before Eddie inclined his head to look down at the woman in his arms.

"You know I love you, Rachel, don't you?" It took a second for the question to register, but when it did, a wonderful warmth bloomed inside her chest, spreading out through her body, giving her goosebumps. Slowly, she shifted her head away from him and her innocent, wide eyes came gently sweeping around to find his, asking one final time, earnestly as was possible, which in her case, demanded total honesty, "Do you really mean that?" Eddie smiled, that slightly lop-sided, little bit goofy grin, and said it again, just to make sure. "I love you, Rachel." Her gaze flicked from one eye to the other, her expression tremulous and flickering between a smile and something more hesitant, before a bright, luminous light took hold of her, and she beamed at him. Her breath was hazy, and he waited for her reply.

"You know I love you too." Her voice bubbled with happiness, before she reached up a hand and ran her fingers languidly through his short hair, caressing his face with her thumb, watching his eyes sparkle in the starlight before leaning forward and pressing a deep kiss to his lips. As she drew back, he gave her another grin, and she laid her head back against his neck, both now looking up at the heavens and thanking a few of the stars up there for the person they were sitting with. In some ways, they had just made a rather wonderful step forward – in others, it was merely spoken confirmation of feelings they'd been sharing for so long. They'd both known how they felt, how the other felt, otherwise they wouldn't be here. But having said the words, out loud, for the first time – it was still special. And it still gave Rachel a pleasurable tingle down her spine and she could feel Eddie hugging her a measure tighter, his face buried in her hair.

Nothing in their world was constant – not people, they had only to look in the staffroom to see that, not reputation, not words, not even the school, so Ralph had proved at the end of last term, but they both knew, had known for some time if they honest, that what they shared with each other, every day and every night, was something no amount of change or disaster could weather. Wrapped in their lover's arms, looking up at stars that didn't seem any different for thousands of years, they would have vowed eternity if they had spoken again. They would look after Philip when they got home, they would rebuild and hold up the school for as long as they possibly could, and they would take care of each other through anything their lives chose to throw at them. No one in the world knew them like they did, and what they enjoyed, what they treasured, was worth a lifetime.

As Eddie had put it, this was them, now.

Forever.


End file.
